Open with Outdoor Dining

Jennifer Beachey

With the sun finally shining and recent restrictions easing across central Victoria, there has never been a better time to taste the amazing delights our restaurants have to offer. There is no doubt that 2020 has been one of the toughest years faced by the hospitality industry. Throughout the ever-changing parameters of lockdown, so many of our locally loved cafés, restaurants and food and wine producers have shown their superb strength and passion. Their ability in the face of adversity, to create new offerings, unique products, and demonstrate commercial agility while still finding a way to serve their customers.

No matter where you are heading, we have an abundance of destination-worthy alfresco dining spaces. Many of these businesses showcase our local produce throughout their menus and are passionate about supporting our food, wine, beer and spirits industry. So now with their doors swung open and the welcome mat dusted off, a great way for all of us to say thank you, is to book a table.

Bistro Terroir, Daylesford, has extended into next door to create a new space called ‘Coq’, serving breakfast and a French-style bistro menu. Open for lunch and dinner you can enjoy the newly renovated courtyard or dine Parisienne-style street side. Puppy friendly, cocktails and happy hour on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. bistroterroir.com.au

The Cosmopolitan, Trentham, often quoted as the best beer garden in Victoria. They are serving modern pubstyle food with vegetarian and vegan options to choose from. thecosmopolitanhotel.com.au

Farmers Arms is currently renovating their Daylesford beer garden, and while writing this article, it is yet to be revealed. Fair to say you’ll be one of the first to experience their renowned hospitality in this new space. thefarmersarms.com.au

Fook Shing, Kyneton, has a 50 seat alfresco deck where you can enjoy South-East Asian food, local and imported wines, cocktails and beers. Keep an

eye out for their lunch and dinner banquet specials. fookshing.com.au

Garden of St Erth, Blackwood, is a historic house, garden and nursery. Stroll around the Diggers garden shop and ask the knowledgeable staff all of your gardening questions. Before leaving, enjoy beautiful café style food with some ingredients straight from their gardens. diggers.com.au/our-gardens/st-erth

Goldfields RACV ‘Three Founders’ restaurant has a large outdoor seating area serving traditional pub food. It’s newly renovated and set within Creswick Regional Park overlooking their golf course. racv.com.au/goldfields

Mt Towrong Vineyard cellar door and restaurant makes you feel as though you are in Tuscany grazing on delicious, rustic style Italian fare featuring local produce along with their newly released and award-winning wines. mounttowrong.com.au

Mount Macedon Winery has its own cellar door, spacious terraced deck with breathtaking views. Preorder a picnic basket to eat within the grounds where you can sample a selection of local cheeses and charcuterie which just so happen to pair perfectly with their pinot noir, chardonnay and sparkling. mountmacedonwinery.com.au

Musk Lane is a rare find of cool urban winery and cellar door in the heart of Kyneton. Their beautifully designed beer garden is hidden off the main street and is a sanctuary for wine lovers to try their own beautifully crafted Musk Lane wines. Musk Lane recently teamed up with Dele Foodstore providing lunch and dinner. musklanewine.com

Passing Clouds cellar door in Musk is providing a 3-course fire pit menu which features local produce and their famous wines. passingclouds.com.au

The Red Hill Hotel has a large, outdoor beer garden perfect for the whole family, including your fur babies. The relaxed Chewton venue is serving delicious modern pub food, with live music on the weekend. redhillhotel.com.au

The Shamrock has a brand new beer garden that can seat 50 in the heart of Kyneton. With great pub food and daily specials. kynetonshamrockhotel.com.au

The Swiss Mountain Hotel, Blampied, has a new stone barn for events and large, spacious restaurant. The barn and beer garden provide a roomy area for alfresco dining. swissmountainhotel.com.au

For all outdoor eating options in the region, visit: daylesfordmacedonlife.com.au/tag/alfresco-dining

@ jenniferbeachey

dayget.com.au

Photos (opposite page L-R): Bistro Terroir (Photograph by Inkdfotogrfa), Mount Towrong Vineyard, The Cosmopolitan Hotel

(this page clockwise from left): Mount Macedon Winery, Fook Shing (Photograph by Simon Griffiths), Musk Lane.

Florence - Daylesford

Stay With Us As Daylesford’s leading accommodation provider we have 140 unique holiday rentals region-wide with something to suit every kind of getaway. 14 Vincent Street Daylesford Victoria 03 5348 4422